Improvement in oil-cups for carriage-axles



L. GREGORY.

Axle-Lubricator.

No; 43,197. Patented June '21, 1864:.

AM. PHIJTD-LITHO C0. NvY (DSBORNE'S PROCESS.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Omen.

LYMAN GREGORY, OF BATTLE GREEK, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN OIL-CUPS FOR CARRIAGE-AXLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,197, dated June 21, 1864.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LYMAN GREGORY, of Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented a new and improved oil cup, or reservoir, to be situated in carriage-hubs, for lubricating the axle-journals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, and representing a central, longitudinal section of a carriagehub upon its axle and provided with my improvement.

There may be two of these oil-cups, G O, as represented in the drawing, one near each end of the hub A; or there may be only a single oil-cup in. each hub, situated near the middle thereof. The cup is made of metal or any suitable material, and of any conven= icnt form-such as the conical form shown in the drawing. Whatever the general form, the,

inner end should be conical or converging to a small orifice, 0, through which the oil is admitted to the axle-journal B, the cup extending inward thereto, substantially as shown. Each oil-cup is closed by a tightly'fitting stopper or lid, so as to hold the oilfrom leaking out of the cup. One lid, D, in the drawing is represented closed, and the other lid, E, as open. The lid is hinged at d to a cap-plate, h, by which the whole device is secured to the hub. The hingeplate has an angular or straight-sided outline, against which a spring, g, presses outward from beneath the plate h, so as to hold the lid securely closed, as shown at the lid D in the drawing, and it may also hold the lid open, as shown at the lid E. The inner end or orifice, 0, of the oilcup is ordinarily kept closed by a piece of sponge, F, or other equivalent material, pressed into the same by the force of the closed lid D or E, the sponge being attached to the inner end of a wire or rod,f, which is hinged at e to the lid. This prevents the oil from spontaneously running into the axlejournal and wasting away too rapidly; but when it is desired to let more oil upon the journal, it is only necessary to raise the lid, as at E, which act lifts the sponge F from the orifice and allows the oil to flow in- As soon as sufficient oil has been admitted to the axlejournal, (which can be ascertained by the lowering of the oil in the cup,) the lid is closed down, as shown at D. and the further waste of oil is prevented. Thus the action is all controlled by simply raising and closing the lid. The sponge F also performs the valuable function of continually keeping the orifice 0 clear by the act of inserting and withdrawing, so that the cup never becomes t'oul nor choked up.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the conical or converging orifice c of the oil-cup, the sponge F, or

its equivalent, andthe rod f, connecting the sponge with the lid D, all substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

The above specification of my improved oil-cup for oiling the journals of carriage-axles signed by me this 9th day of March, 1864.

LYMAN GREGORY.

Witnesses:

A. M. COLEMAN, M. B. RUSSELL. 

